Airbus: Qantas' A350-1000ULR sets a distance record for a commercial airliner with 23,155 km
Announced by Airbus on 9 November 2026, this Guinness record for the longest distance flight ever achieved by a commercial airliner was set during the aircraft's flight test campaign. The aircraft is being developed for Qantas Airways as part of Project Sunrise.
A 24-hour test flight between Melbourne and Toulouse
The flight, operated by Airbus under the call sign AIB35LR, departed Melbourne on 27 July at 17:27 local time and landed in Toulouse on 28 July at 9:51. It covered 12,503 nautical miles (23,155 kilometres) in 24 hours and 24 minutes. The data was independently validated by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and flightradar24.
The mission met a programme requirement: operating a leg with a block time of 23 hours, from departure from the parking stand to chocks-on at arrival. The objective was to simulate the longest commercial operations envisaged with the aircraft. Thirteen people were on board, including three Airbus test pilots and two Qantas pilots.
Lars Wagner, head of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, said the teams had extended the A350-1000's range "in an efficient and economically viable way." He added: "We have fully demonstrated the aircraft's ability to perform its mission."
Qantas orders twelve A350-1000ULRs, first delivery in April
The A350-1000ULR is expected to enable Qantas to operate, for the first time, non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York, covering nearly 10,000 nautical miles and up to 22 hours of flight. According to Airbus, this capability relies mainly on the addition of a rear central fuel tank within the structure, which increases range by 1,000 nautical miles.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs under Project Sunrise. The first delivery is scheduled for next April, and entry into service on the Sydney-London route is expected later in the year. The airline also has 12 standard A350-1000s on order for its long-haul network.
This version is the fourth passenger variant of the A350 family, after the A350-900, A350-900ULR and A350-1000. At the end of October 2026, the family had totalled 1,628 orders from 70 customers, and more than 740 aircraft were flying with 42 operators. The A350F cargo version, under development, is due to make its first flight later this year.
